Nutritional Value of Yogurt

Having yogurt / curd in night can cause cold?
(May 11, 2010)

Yogurt or curd is a commonly consumed breakfast or snack food. This fermented or probiotic food is prepared by the bacterial action that occurs during the fermentation of milk.  The actual process of preparing yogurt involves adding active or live bacterial cultures directly to boiled milk and allowing these bacteria to then act on the milk. Yogurt is tasty and nutritious on its own or even with accompaniments such as fresh fruits or flavored sauces. Yogurt is a rich source of calcium, vitamin B6 and B12, proteins, riboflavin besides the other benefits if milk. Infact people who have mild lactose intolerance may also safely consume yogurt and enjoy the goodness of milk.

Medically, yogurt is an excellent supplementary food for diarrhea and even gastro intestinal disorders.


On account of the presence of probiotic lactic acids in yogurt, it is also considered to be healthy for one’s gums and overall dental health. Infact yogurt is known to be the most effective natural food to prevent the occurrence of cold and is recommended as an integral part of one’s diet. Although there is no extensive research to prove that having yogurt or curd at night may be detrimental to ones health, it has been observed that consumption of any dairy products such as yogurt or buttermilk at night does not cause any harm to a person of even average health. Infact consumption of dairy products at night tends to promote peaceful sleep. However if the person is already suffering from medical disorders such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, allergies, cystic fibrosis etc, then consumption of large quantities of dairy products like yogurt should be avoided as it promotes the production of secretions and mucous which may further aggravate the disorder. There may be many ways to consume probiotics or fermented foods, however yogurt is considered to be one of the tastiest and easiest ways to consume such foods. Usually, acids present in the stomach will destroy any probiotics before they even reach the intestines from where they are actually benefiting to ones health. However dairy acts as a buffer against these stomach acids and allows the probiotics to thrive in one’s system and provide their full nutritional value.

The most ideal time to consume yogurt or curd is preferably in the afternoon and mid morning. It is advisable to consume yogurt on its own rather than eating it along with other meals as then the various good food bacteria mix with those present in yogurt thereby best time nullifying its nutritional value.

Yogurt Nutritional Facts

Before getting into the details of yogurt nutritional facts, it helps to understand the exact composition of yogurt. Yogurt is primarily a dairy product that is produced by the bacterial fermentation of milk. The fermentation of a substance present in the milk known as lactose will produce lactic acid that will then act on the milk protein and give yogurt its texture as well as its texture and tangy flavor. Unknown to many, it is not cows milk that is often used to make yogurt, but usually buffalo, sheep or even goats milk that does the trick. There are a number of wide ranging yogurt nutritional benefits what with the body constantly requiring a regular supply of good bacteria in the digestive tract. One of the most significant yogurt nutritional benefits is the fact that it also plays a very important role in preventing the onset of osteoporosis. The high calcium contents of the substance helps make the bones significantly stronger while the combination of the calcium content along with the vitamin D content means that it can help the skeletal system in the body significantly. Another one of Yogurts nutritional benefits is the fact that regular consumption of the food shows a 50% reduction in the risk of developing high blood pressure. As mentioned previously, healthy yogurt nutrition consumption will go a long way into helping keep the digestive tract free from a number of gastrointestinal conditions such as constipation, diarrhea, colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease amongst many others. Most of these benefits are credited to the fact that there are changes in the micro flora of the gut, the amount of time that the food takes to travel through the bowel as well as a significant enhancement of the body’s immune system as a result of a healthy intake of yogurt on a regular basis. Candid or yeast infections are also known to be dealt with rather efficiently with the help of a decent yogurt intake. Vaginal infections are a rather common problem for women, especially for those that suffer from diabetes. A number of studies have shown that women that consume yogurt on a regular basis, no matter what form the substance is consumed in, have always shown much better resistance to the development of any yeast conditions.

The yogurt nutritional facts show that the substance is good for the body on a number of levels – with the fact that it is low in saturated fat and cholesterol being one of the most emphatic positives. It is also known to be a rather good source of protein, vitamin B12, potassium and Zinc, with really one of the only prominent drawbacks being the fact that large portion of the calories in the food come from sugar. Nutritional composition of yogurt shows that the number of calories in a single serving of about 245g is about 137, with 4 calories coming from fat. The cholesterol count for the same portion is about 5mg while the sodium count stands in at 189mg. 14g of the portion can be attributed to the protein content of the food.